Moms come in all shapes and sizes, yet it seems like we are often criticized if our measurements don't fit into some unrealistic idea of "perfect." After a woman has a baby, nothing is the same. Instead of celebrating our stretch marks and dimples and, you know, the fact that we have grown literal humans inside our bodies and delivered them to the world in all their glory, we tend to pick it all apart and walk around feeling insecure.
But our male counterparts are now praised for their "dad bods" and somehow become sex symbols if they grow a beer belly and a beard and go bald. We're calling BS on the whole thing. But it's not just us. A Canadian dad also thinks moms are getting a raw deal, and he wants the world to know that he loves a "mom bod." Coby, who hails from Edmonton, Alberta, posted about his love for mom bods on TikTok, and it went insanely viral.
Why? Coby, 40, normalizes looking at natural bodies and letting us know we're perfect just the way we are. Friends, we are so obsessed with this message we slid right into Coby's DMs to get the story behind his viral hit.
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At first, it looked like Coby was going to dis the mom bod.
He posted the video on his TikTok, @captaincoby00, where it's been viewed 5.8 million times. The text on the video reads, "When The Ladies With Mom Bods Rock Summer Dresses," and starts with Coby lip-syncing the words to the viral audio clip, "Eww, what's that?" with a bit of a scowl on his face.
He then hits us with a mash-up of Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven is a Place on Earth," and he flashes his blue eyes and a smile for the camera. Natural women's bodies don't disgust Coby; in fact, he loves them.
Coby hoped to make a few people smile but had no idea his video would go viral so quickly.
He tells CafeMom he was "stunned" at how the video took off. He's been a content creator for a few years and likes to make people smile, but this was next level. Coby says he created the video because there is a stark difference in how we view a woman's body compared to a man's.
"The reason I made the video is because, unfortunately, it seems to be a trend these days where everyone loves a dad bod, but the mom bod never gets the credit it really deserves," he explains to us.
Coby's video made so many women happy.
It's no surprise that his video struck a chord with many women whose bodies don't always make them feel good. He helped remind them that they are beautiful and worthy and deserve to feel amazing about themselves.
"I'm taking this as permission to buy that sundress and rock it like the overestimated, caffeine addicted, mother of 4 that I am," one mom wrote.
Another agreed, commenting, "You're the first person I have ever seen to express support/desire for mom bods. Thank you ."
This mom did some shopping: "Not me immediately googling 'best sundress for mom bods.'"
His video was a hit with men, too.
The original clip has plenty of duets and stitches at this point, and Coby is really excited to see them. He says some of the comments from women were heartbreaking.
"I've gotten lots of great feedback but many sad comments as well from women who are embarrassed of their beauty and afraid to show it off. Many women, it seems, think men don't like it, but from the comments, many men jumped in saying they also love a mom bod," he tells us.
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Coby has daughters, and his message runs deep.
He says he wants his girls raised in a body-positive home, and that will start with him.
"It's important for me to show that all bodies, regardless of shape and size, are beautiful. I have two daughters and I want them to feel proud in their skin and confident without feeling ashamed if they have some extra weight or anything like that," Coby tells CafeMom.
His video isn't just for his daughters; it's for all women.
He explains, "My message to the women: Be you, be confident. Don't let anyone tell you you're not beautiful. The body is the cover to an amazing book. It may have some love handles, muffin tops, or scars, but it makes you who you are and tells your story."
Coby, as we told you, we are obsessed with your content and the fantastic message you're sending. Thank you for helping us look past our imperfections and see the real beauty.
We’ve gotta run. We're 100% headed out to buy a new sundress, and our mom bods are going to look incredible!
